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I'm not pregnant but plan on trying for #2 next year. There is a great website for tracking food and helping manage weight gain if you aren't already using it (babyfit.com) I plan on using it when I get pregnant again to track everything. Best of luck to all of you band mommy-to-be's

Hi Kim, you are doing great. I had some weight gain early on as well. A fill should help you. Good luck.

Hi Suz and D Strangely, I don't feel half as gutted as I thought I would... but Friday isn't here yet. Just had news from work that our national conference has been cancelled (hurray!) which means that I don't have to go and face all these people judging my latest weight gain. That's taken the pressure off as well. I think that everything happens for a reason so as they say in the song Que sera sera.... I know that I am going to have it done and I really want to book a date for January, and that will probably happen sooner rather than later. He's still being a bit funny about me borrowing the money but I feel that I'm worth the expense of the credit as in the longer term I will only benefit from it. Just a case of waiting for it. Yes I feel desperate. Yes, I am disappointed, but I am no longer despairing at what the future holds for me. I've made a decision. I've got the old man on side and I know that it will happen and it will happen sooner rather than later. Make no bones girls, I am a woman on a mission!

Esophageal dilatation (I don't know why they couldn't just say "dilation," but they had to throw in an extra syllable) is, in my experience, pretty much as described above. But, be careful when you "interpret" the words "overeating" or "pouch packing," or the like. It is difficult to blame overeating when not much is bieng eaten and the weight keeps coming off, as it did early on in my case. I wasn't eating more than my doctor recommended or more than I needed to eat to lose weight, I was just eating more than my esophagus could process, once its function was hampered by the presence of the band. And that "more than my esophagus could process" amount might be as little as two spoons of Soup. So, we would go out to an early dinner (we do that on a VERY regular basis because I'm a lazy woman), order off the lunch menu, have two or three spoons of soup, and then decide to "save room" for the fish entree. When it arrived, I'd take one bite and get that deer-in-the-headlights look. More often than not, I was off to the restroom to bring UP what wouldn't go DOWN. Turns out, I wasn't "packing" food into the esophagus as a result of eating more than my stomach could handle...what I was doing was eating food that never made it to my stomach, but bounced around--down the esophagus and then back up--because the band was keeping the esophagus from doing its job. Finally, three weeks before my band was removed, this was captured on video with two MD's witnessing it, but that was LATER.) Then I'd get an unfill. And then a fill. And for two years this went on, until I decided I needed to do SOMETHING. And I had one band doctor who wanted me to join his support group so I could learn how life with the band was supposed to work. (I already knew...just like it HAD worked for me for eight months or so, until the band did its damage.) After over two years of HORRID restrictions--and the weight gain that went with an emptied band and the infamous "soup and ice cream diet"--with the band, I finally decided to have a revision to the Duodenal Switch (aka Biliopancreatic Diversion with Duodenal Switch) because I wanted a stomach, not a "pouch," and I didn't want Dumping Syndrome like some of my girlfriends have, and I wanted to eat a more normal diet. I had that revision surgery a year ago. The surgery--band out and DS performed took less than two hours--and I was in the hospital four days. It took TEN weeks before I lost all of those band-related symptoms, but once I did, my life began. (And during those ten weeks, I lost about 55 pounds, so it wasn't ALL misery.) For some people, the dilated esophagus (picture a funnel, upsidedown) goes away once they learn to eat smaller amounts and to eat slower. For others, it may be a signal that this is not going to be an easy ride. I hope you find the cause of your problem and are able to reverse it. It would not hurt, however, to have a Plan B in the back of your mind, because taking over two years to figure out what to do next was not my most brilliant move. Sue

I don't think the 18 y/o girl I was then is much different then the 44 y/o woman I am today. That is besides the weight gain. But even that may not be such a suprise to her. I remember one summer at camp the preacher was doing a teaching on marriage. He said guys look at your girls mom - thats what your wife will look like when she is her age. Bingo! I've become my mother! Seriously tho - at 18 I weighed 103 today I weigh 220 - at 22 when I was pg with my first child I remember be SO embarrassed because I weighed 160! I don't think that 18 y/o girl would ever believe she would gain over 100 lbs. I remember after my 2nd child weighing 125 and talking to my doctor about it - my goal is 150 - yeah she'd be a bit suprised by the weight gain. As far as all the other stuff - life has gone as planned. I married my love at the ripe young age of 17, we've been married 27 years - have 3 beautiful healthy happy drugfree children - and a job I love. I gave my life to the Lord at 22 and I believe He has kept me and I have no regrets - I was married 5 years before the first baby - stay at home mom for 12 years - worked part-time until just 5 years ago and love my job. I am happy & content.

Creamy soups really helped me. Don't worry about the weight gain. I had lost a little bit then bam gained about 6 or 8 lbs. It went away after I had a fill. Until you have restriction the band is not performing up to expectations.

I have had both Inamed LapBands. The VG 10cc band is usually filled to 3-5cc's at the time of surgery. I presently have 9.5 cc's in my VG and only PB occasionally when I try to eat steak which just doesn't work or am stressed while eating. Are you sure that you have a 10cc band and the 4cc?? Many people get confused with the length of their band and not the fill capacity. If you can't eat and it hurts no matter what band you have I recommend that you get some saline removed before you get side effects like reflux or soft food syndrome which will lead to poor eating choices and a weight gain. My surgeon will fill me beyond capacity but I am doing it the old fashioned way to get off the last 20 pounds and still be able to eat a variety of foods in different parts of the globe. BTW, I can wear size 8 jeans (J. Jill "Tried and True Fit") which are loose at the waist now. I may just stay where I am and just maintain this weight. Each surgeon seems to do fills very differently and each of our bodies react differently to fill levels. That being said, if you are in pain and it hurts when you eat time, it is time to contact your surgeon to discuss the situation. Being too tight leads to a prolapse (slipped band) which often has to be replaced. I hope that my "wisdom" of being band for 3 years with the 4cc band for 14 months and the VG band for 25 months helps you.

I'm frankly not surprised that you've gained. No activity. Meds. Probably depressed. That's certainly a recipe for weight gain! I have Lupus, and I know how meds can put the pounds on...as can inactivity. Maybe a strategy at this point is to begin thinking of being stuck as a temporary situation, and rehearsing how you're going to get back to exercise and good eating soon....and how the weight is going to start coming off. A wise person on this site said that this is a marathon, not a sprint, and that helped me. There will be setbacks, cheating, things to deal with. We certainly know that from dealing with illnesses too. Start thinking about this as just a temporary bump in the road and expect that there will be others. Life keeps coming at us. Hang tight, dear. We're with you.

I have lost a lot of weight several times in my life too, the problem is keeping it off. I think I remember hearing the stat that like 80 or 90% (someone please correct me if I am wrong) of MO people who loose weight - gain it back. So the statistics show that this guy is very likely to gain his weight back. That is where I hope my band comes into play. I hope and expectation is that it will assist me in maintaining after I loose. And so what if it is the easy way out (though its not easy as we know). Everything else we do in life we always look for someway to make it easier - why do you think remote controls were invented ( to make it easier to change the channels). I can never remember my boss telling me not to find a more efficient way to do things. In fact, the goal of any business is to make things easier and more efficient. Just my 2 cents.

I met a woman today who told me she got banded 16 years ago. She has a non adjustable band, no port or anything. She lost 130 pounds and kept it off until a few years ago when she had a bad car accident and badly damaged both knees. She's currently recovering from her second knee replacement. She's heavy but not morbidly obese. She attributes her weight gain to lack of exercise due to her knees and her love of chocolate. She still pb's when she's not careful.

I have Cushing's disease, which is caused by a tumor in my pituiatry gland. IMHO, the most obvious symptom is uncontrolable weight gain, but the "central obesity" and the hump are hard to miss. it has taken me litterally decades to get a proper diganosis, and treatment. I had at one time a large brain tumor, which died taking my of my pit with it. So, I cannot help but wonder what my life would be like if I'd gotten proper treatment. Treatment with respect, instead I was dismissed as fat and lazy, as a lier and cheater, since I couldn't possibly telling the truth about my food. It was only after getting banded and still not losing weight that I was able to get people to treat me seriously. And it's still been a battle. Cushing's isn't as rare as they want you to believe, it is only rarely diagnosed because most people are fat, hormonal, lazy women. They also insist that if you don't have every single symptom, you couldn't have it, if you come back with several high test results, then it must be a fluke. grrr

Marys - certainly sounds to me like u might have more going on than just being obese, sometime obesity can be a result of a medical condition. I hope you are able to get the answers you need. Maybe after you figure out why u cant loose weight with or without the band they can fix it and the band will then be the tool it was ment to be for you. My endocrinologist explained to me a few years back (see I told you I had a myriad of dr's) after a pcos dx that the relationship between fat and estrogeon, it can be a foundation for understanding obesity in women. estrogeon is stored in body fat, in abundance it can cause many health issues pcos, certain kinds of cancer, amenorreah(sp), migrains, blood sugar issues etc (oh yeah and more obesity) it is unknown (at least at that time) which came first, did the estrogeon cause weight gain or the weight gain cause estrogeon either way when they begin to fix the imbalances some weight will come off (they began to fix mine with metforman and birth control) without evan trying but certainly not all (according to the dr) it will require dedication and work from the patient as more weight is lost it should begin to clear up some of the problems. I hope u can figure out what is out of balance and get it fixed then tell us how your journey has ended with success! Good luck to u!

:clap2: I am very excited about being a member at this forum of bandsters. I had my surgery in March 2003 by Dr. Kuri in Tijuana, Mexico. My post-op went very well and I immediately began to lose weight. After 40 pounds I leveled off, so went down to get my first adjustment. Everything went well and I lost another 20 pounds. Then it all slowed down so I flew back to Tijuana and told them to make it "really tight," which they obliged. By the way, when I say "went down" I mean that I was flying down from remote places in Alaska, places where I couldn't just drive to the doctor or urgent care for help. I was living very remotely, and I'm sure there are others out there who do the same. But this time, my band was so tight, I couldn't sleep at night without regurgitating, which is dangerous. I couldn't hardly drink or eat without pain or throwing up; yet I was not able to get out again for 6 months! I put up with that condition...and survived, but clearly traumatized. I only lost another 12 pounds and found that I would graze or eat soft foods just to survive. Worse, I sabbotaged my goals by eating high calorie foods. It was rough. Finally, I got back down to Tijuana and had all the fluid removed. I just needed a break. I thought I would get another adjustment fill in a couple months. But guess what, it took 13 months and a 50 pound weight gain before I found someone in Phoenix who would fill my band. I also have since moved back into the southwest, but I would rather not go back to Tijuana because it's so far. This fill is working VERY well. I am excited. I feel like I am in the honeymoon phase again! I've already lost 7 pounds, more more importantly, I'm feeling the vision again, the drive to stick with it and eat right and learn a new lifestyle. Having resources such as this forum will be helpful, and I'm participating in a support group near by. So, look forward to hearing from you all and getting involved more. Adios! 312-242-296-150.

FONT="Comic Sans MS"] Again, for those who didn't read it the first time...here is the question: isnt bypass/ds/etc "damaging" the body by removing/sectioning the stomach? ANYTHING that invades the body has the potential to "damage" the body...but if the same part of the stomach that is removed in DS is removed due to stomach cancer or severe damage due to ulcerations, is that also damage to the body? Or is it just a procedure to correct a problem? If you want to read in some negative thing that I didn't write, go for it. But know that I am not the source of the negative spin...THAT comes from people who don't want to hear anything that might burst their bubble. ALL surgeons walk away (not to imply abandoment) after the surgery. (Again, WHO is looking for a negative spin? I wasn't implying anything...I don't tend to "imply" things...I just say what I'm thinking.) They have to trust their work...but the band surgeon has to trust that the band will stay where he put it...and that just doesn't always happen. I've been on wls boards for close to five years now and slippage due to vomiting is not as rare as some would like to believe. And, it isn't always easy to detect. Usually, it takes people a while to accept that something bad is happening, and then not all surgeons--and not everyone gets in to their surgeon right away without first going through a gauntlet of his helpers--sometimes miss the diagnosis. It often takes a while. If I were focusing on worst case scenarios, I'd forever be mentioning the woman whose band cut off blood flow to her entire stomach and--last we heard from her--she was looking at a future with a bag. And, yeah, her band was "easily" removed...leaving behind a mess. I tend not to go there...I tend to focus on the more frequent problems. Who can't tolerate food? I had solid food post-DS far sooner that I did post-band. I know of some people who have had problems at surgery who have had feeding tubes...for a while...but that is a far easier fix than a band removal. "Malabsorption so bad that medicines can't be absorbed?" Where is this coming from? Most medicines come in more than one form...which people with bands should be aware of since they are not--after banding--good candidates for NSAID's for pain relief. I agree with MOST of what you say..and wish I saw more of it here. I did have a higher risk of dying during my <120 minute DS-revision than I did with my 40 minute banding...but those things each happened in less than one day. It's the REST of my life that I was focused on. Yes, this is a banding support site. But, as such, it isn't necessary to promulgate FALSE information about the hazards of the other choices. Some people--well, according to European statistics, a LOT of people--will move on to another wls after banding. They should be considering the band the FIRST step...and if it works, fine. They should not be getting fed false rumors about how the other surgeries will kill them or make them stink or ruin their lives...because that just is not true. NO wls is the perfect one for everyone...I've said that repeatedly. And I've mentioned that, at age 60-ish, I have different long-terms concerns about malabsoprtion that someone who is 30-ish might have. But banding did "work" for me as well as it "works" for number of people. I lost some weight, I got reflux, I had multiple adjustments and weight gain, I had esophageal dysmotility. Other people--several years out--have other problems. SOME people have no problems. But the flippant "oh, well, no biggie, it can always be removed" comments coming from people who haven't lived through those espisodes of Life With the Band, is--at best--a tad irritating. It ISN'T "no big deal" when you can't swallow, or when what you swallow comes back up even if it's only Water, when you aspirate stomach acids, or when you live through months or years of band-related problems. First...about the honesty of bandsters. They are NOT as honest as you might think. They keep trying to protect/defend their decision to have chosen the band rather than one of the other surgeries and they blame themselves for not doing their part instead of considering another move. And they sit there, still (or again) obese or still (or again) MO. (That behavior is particular to the band, btw.) Band patients almost all blame themselves for the band's not delivering the results they were hoping for. AND THEN, because they think of themselves as the weak link in the chain, they don't go out in search of a procedure that does work for them. (In Europe, where patients are taught they the band ios what they'll try first, they accept that fact that some people will have success and other will not. One European surgeon who is a long-time band/RnY/DS surgeon wrote me and said that fully 20% of his practice is now removing bands and revising to another wls.) Then, maybe you haven't read enough "newbie" posts (here and other places). Post-ops who really believe that they could eat just like before only a little less...who didn't know about drinking with meals...who didn't know about taking food slowly after adjustments...about why they aren't losing weight immediately post-op...about why the left shoulder hurts...about why they lost 20 pounds the first week and then nothing for three weeks..about NSAID's post-op...and on and on. When there were thirty banding doctors, the patients were FAR better informed. We KNEW what to expect and there were no surprises. Now, there are more INexperienced surgeons banding UNeducated patients. It's a dangerous combination. [/font]

Thanks for the responses guys... Carol - This is exactly what my parents are saying about it. I know that I feel in a way that I can't control what I eat and that's a problem. The thing that is annoying me is that it's really hard to control not eating junk when it's being forced upon you all around the place. It's on the TV, when you go out it's all around you. And the healthy food when you go out is actually more expensive than the junk food in some ways. Unless I go to the supermarket and do stuff from home that is. And this is what is freaking me out as well. I'm really scared because if I can't control what I'm eating now then what makes me think that I can do it with the band? The band is meant to stop me from doing it, but if you can get around that then what's to say I can't just keep going the way I am going now? I hate feeling like the "big" person wherever I go. Especially if I go out to eat somewhere. And I don't want to die at 40 either. And I also have PCOS, which a side effect is Weight Gain, which is why I have been steadily gaining weight from when I was a teenager to now, I have never been this heavy before. I have alot of lower back problems as well. And people keep saying if I get banding that is going to go away. But I'm still worried that I'm going to find another way around the band. LilMisfit - I'd love to chat with you. My email address is Brumbie06@hotmail.com if you want to email me. It would be nice to have another perspective.

stephC Oh how I wish that my signature was my current stat! No, that is my dream stat. I am now at 240 and after surgery hope to be at 180 in the middle and by the end of 1 -1 1/2 years hope to be 140. So i guess that signature is my goal signature, lol. Last year at this time I was 185!! I wish I could go back in time and stop the weight gain. Just an FYI for you, maybe try another type of shake slim fast is very very unhealthy. Last week i bought two cases without reading the ingredients and it is full of sugar and hydrogenated oil, and high fructose corn syrup. Maybe try a healthfood store for something that will work with your body. Keep up the hard work on the liquid diet, I keep starting one, even though the dr. hasn't said to do one, but after reading on here how many people do it, I figure it will give me a jump start. I can't even make it through an entire day!! I'm starving!

Or the Spartan Diet. Doe any one out there watch every calorie consumed each day? I did for over a year it became a job, and I was married to the scale and they were driving me crazy! I did lose alot of weight and I am very happy for that. I took a month off, of watching any calorie intake and over did it a couple days a week it just got easyer and easyer. and I gained a few pounds big deal I,was so worried about weight gain I did it and its no big deal. now I have to get back to watching my calories and doing the walk! So getting back to restriced diets is there any one out there doing every day? I just need a push.

Because of the age of your daughter, her activity level, and her mood swings. I would seriously take a look into what one of the earlier posters mentioned...PCOS (Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome). Unless your doctor is aware of this, and most are not, it's a condition that is best diagnosed by an Endocrinologist. The problem with this condition, is that many doctors don't look for it until a woman is ready to begin a family, and is having some problems. While the condition actually begins with the start of puberty and gets worse with time. Catching it early and properly managing it can help prevent some of the later problems that it can lead to. Here are a few symptoms, either by themselves can be a sign of PCOS or other conditions. The more that a woman has, the more likely she could have PCOS. Some of these are hard to tell, because of her age. Many teenagers experience them just because that's the stage in life they are at. There are some, that I'm not going to list, that are based upon blood work. Ranges can be high normal to slightly above normal, but be too much for your body to handle. Which is why I strongly suggest an endocrinologist (someone who specializes in this, versus a regular family doctor who would just over look a slightly elevated result). Puberty beginning early: menstruation at 9 or 10, early physical development. Extreme emotional highs and lows Weight gain (especially if concentrated around the middle/stomach area) Painful or irregular menstruation Dark/rough Patches of skin (neck, elbows, underarms, inner thighs) Depression (leads back to hormonal imbalance) Poor memory Male pattern hair growth/loss Adult acne (for those besides OP that may be reading this) ...and more. There are several web sites that discuss this, and some contradicting theories. One that I know of that is fairly informative is Soulcysters.com, and they do have a teen section. You can do a search on PCOS or Stein-Leventhal Syndrome to learn more. I will admit, though, that from the moment you started discussing your daughter, this is what I thought. ___________ Chris

Kat, congratulations on finishing the challenge! Woohoo! Way to go! As for the December challenge, I think we should leave it exactly the same -- 17 workouts for 35 minutes. We'll kick it up a notch in January, but I think the holidays throw enough of a wrench into our lives that to ask for more or longer sessions in December would be a disincentive. If I'm underestimating our group, just give a yell and we'll change it up for sure. I'm up for anything. Susan, I'm so excited that you've got less than 100 to lose. That's AMAZING. Just think -- some docs use the 100 lb mark as showing that you're eligible for WLS. So by that standard, you're not even eligible for the band by your current weight! What a great milestone. My personal goal is not 100 lbs away, but by the medical charts, I could still lose 100 or even more (I'm only 5'2), so that milestone is still a way off for me. To all those who are sick this November, heal up and we'll be looking forward to you blowing us away in December. Boo, I'm really impressed that you're still trying to meet the challenge even though you're sick. That's AMAZING. Don't feel like you have to run though, if you're not up to it. A 35 minute walk counts too. Eficka, I'm off to read your thread.... France was glorious. Too much wine, too much cheese, too much chocolate, but no weight gain. I weighed exactly the same this morning (to the tenth of a pound) as I did when I left. I guess that's the power of the band. And I went to the gym this morning and will be 100% back on the diet tomorrow (when the cheese that I brought to work to share with my colleagues is gone). Take care all,

hello all! before the holidays i was a little worried as to what the holidays would be like banded. but, i am happy to say, it was great. we went to my best friend's house. but, before we went, i did my 45 minute work out. i ate on a small plate just like usual. i went in knowing that i couldn't get everything first time around. so, i fixed a small plate, chewed and savored the tastes. then, 45 minutes later, everyone got up and we went for a 45 minute walk. it was great. later that evening i ate another small plate. and was just fine. no pbs or anything. i was thankful for that! then friday my husband and i had a dessert party. that was great too. so, no weight gain. actually lost a little. i am one pound from my november goal! i hope to be there by november 29th--40 pounds lost! we will see.

Welcome home, Karey! Mazatlan...how exotic! I'm going to Cancun for spring break, and can't wait. I'll be a LOT smaller than the last time we went on vacation. I posted the recipes a couple of days ago... http://www.lapbandtalk.com/showthread.php?p=333977#post333977 Hope you enjoy them. Don't sweat the gain. It's probably at least partially water weight gain. Air travel can make you retain water. My hubby travels a lot for business, and drops a couple of pounds the day after he gets home. And even if you do gain a bit, hey, it's Thanksgiving. As Dr. Oz says, at the next available opportunity, make a U-turn and get back on the right path! Tami

Hi and a belated Happy Post-Thanksgiving to all! I still haven't got used to the snail's pace of the dial-up I have at home and don't get the chance to post while at work at my new job now. I'm about 2-3 pounds up from my lowest post-band weight from early October. But I've been doing NOTHING to try to lose weight either so I can't complain. In fact I'm a bit happy that I can live for short periods like this without worrying about any real weight gain. I'm a bit torn between just coasting through the rest of the holidays without a gain or loss and start afresh then or trying to kick it back into gear and lose another 8 pounds before the end of the year. (8 would put me under the next decade) But despite that short spell where I was losing 5 pounds a week after 2 months at the same relative weight) even 3 pounds seems like an impossible feat. Too bad I wasn't so lazy/busy I got an interesting recipe pre-TDay for pumpkin pie made with Tofu to bump up the protein. Didn't get a chance to make it though. I was asked a couple months ago to host a Holiday party for any and all area Bandsters. I'm still planning on doing it but probably won't have it until the 1st or 2nd weekend of January. Maybe I can try to make the Tofu/Pumpkin dessert then. A great and completely decadent dessert I did have over the holidays was a pumpkin crisp. Made just like apple or cherry crisp you know "fruit" in a bottom of a pie-crustless pan covered with a crumb topping. I tried to fool myself into thinking that the lack of a pie crust cut down on the carbs and made my 3 servings in 2 days "OK" I feel like I'm in DT's over it now that I'm back home. DH is out shopping and I'd kill to eat some more but before he returned but it's at my mothers house not here. I suppose that is a blessing. Will try to be better about posting. Especially since I haven't been to a support meeting for several months.

Sorry Kat, I should have written that. Having it that long I just assume (wrongly)everyone else must know. Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS) It affect a woman’s menstrual cycle, fertility, hormones, insulin production, heart, blood vessels, and appearance (hair growth). Women with PCOS have these characteristics: high levels of male hormones, also called androgens an irregular or no menstrual cycle may or may not have many small cysts in their ovaries. Cysts are fluid-filled sacs. PCOS is the most common hormonal reproductive problem in women of childbearing age. An estimated five to 10 percent of women of childbearing age have PCOS. No one knows the exact cause of PCOS. Women with PCOS frequently have a mother or sister with PCOS. But there is not yet enough evidence to say there is a genetic link to this disorder. Many women with PCOS have a weight problem. So researchers are looking at the relationship between PCOS and the body’s ability to make insulin. Insulin is a hormone that regulates the change of sugar, starches, and other food into energy for the body’s use or for storage. Since some women with PCOS make too much insulin, it’s possible that the ovaries react by making too many male hormones, called androgens. This can lead to acne, excessive hair growth, weight gain, and ovulation problems.

I am going to disagree with the prepared meals suggestions that Jenny Craig and Nutrisystem offer. Those foods are expensive, have a lot of salt, and really would not appeal much to a girl of 12-13. I think she would see that route as a punishment. I think you will find that you're daughter will do much better if she understands what's making her fat. Start by taking your daughter shopping with you and let her do comparison shopping. For example, show how many calories are in one cup of a sugar cereal as compared to something like one cup of Special K or Corn Flakes or Cheerios. Take your daughter to a registered dietician (very different than a nutritionist) to determine her daily nutritional needs (calories, protein, carbs, fats) and to learn what constitutes NORMAL portion sizes. Sample meal plans could be made up by your daughter and the dietician so that your daughter would be assured of eating foods that she enjoys. Spend time teaching your daughter to prepare meals with you. "Oven Fry" foods with a spray of Pam instead of pan frying or deep frying in a lot of oil. Get her to make fresh fruit salad. Take recipes she likes and modify them to make them more healthy but still good tasting such as making a pizza with some diced chicken on it and half the amount of cheese. Weight watchers has teen groups. Call the nearest center in your area and see if you can your daughter can sit in on a meeting for free. They usually allow this. Don't make these changes just for your daughter. Eating healthy should not be just for your daughter or she will see it as a punishment. Toss out all of the crap and get in 100 calorie snack packs, healthy cereals, tasty soups (toss the creamed stuff). Experiment with different veggies and salads. Walden's makes a fat free, sugar free, cal free, carb free line of dressings that taste like they are full of fat. They are in the refrigerator section by the lettuce. Toss some lettuce in a bowl, mix in a can of tuna, a diced apple, a small palm full of raisins and a few tablespoons of diced walnuts. The more you involve your daughter in the purchasing and preparing of healthy foods, the greater the chance that she'll adopt it as a lifestyle. You'll also be doing good for every member of the household. Finally, take your daughter to see an endocrinologist to make sure there are no hormonal issue contributing to her weight gain. Since your daughter hoards food in her room and seems to eat at night, why not take up a hobby with her? Once the homework is done, why not go to the gym, take a ceramics class, learn beading, sewing, etc.? I was a fat child who became a fat teen and adult. You are obviously a very caring and loving mother. Give some of the interventions offered in this thread a try and PLEASE come back often and update us or ask for more help.

Attagirl! Here are some dancing bananas to bolster the spirit of the "attagirl." :) I hear you, Kat. food is a big part of the holidays and I don't plan to forego any part of it. It's not Christmas without my grandmother's fruitcake Cookies. She's no longer with us, but I made them with her every year. Last year my Mom made them for me and I cried. My Mom cooks solely by saying "waiter, please bring me the..." so the fact that she remembered to make them (and successfully executed them) makes me well up just sitting here! Anyway, I don't think any of us think differently than you. The holidays aren't about counting every calorie. They're about friends and family, food and warmth. With the band, that will mean that we will forego the 10+ lb weight gain that usually accompanies the season. All that said, in December I will commit to (1) exercising as much or more as I do in any other month, (2) drinking my Water every day and (3) not going to holiday parties/events hungry. If I eat a well balanced bandster meal ahead of time, how much damage can I do, you know? Food and weight has dominated too many holiday seasons for me. In past years, I've been worried about going home -- worried about what my family will say or think about my weight gain. Worried about keeping them entertained at every minute with witty conversation to distract them from my physical challenges. The holidays will be much nicer this year. Much more about what they're supposed to be about. Boo, my hair quit falling out about 6 weeks ago. I can't tell that it's coming back in yet, but it's definitely back to falling out at only a normal pace. It was scary there for a while, but I promise it does stop!